Page 45 of Close Quarter
"I guess I healed that too," Rhys said.
No fae had that kind of ability. Yes, they could draw life. Take, manipulate, and use the power their element gave them. But nothing like this. Silas could coax a plant to health over days and weeks, not regrow a whole damn tree in hours.
Warshad been fought over a single Quarter.
Silas's mouth turned to sand. "I was wrong about you."
Rhys barked a sharp laugh. "Wrong? You?
Has that ever happened before?" Sarcasm coated each word. "The great Silas?"
Silas flinched, despite himself. Wrong, oh yes. He had followed his heart rather than his head. And how many lives were lost last time?
So much power flowed from Rhys, but the desperate need for it was gone from Silas.
Probably because so much now flowed through him too.
When they reached land, other fae would come for Rhys, drawn to that firebrand of energy, just like the vampires. Just like he'd been.
Would they treat Rhys well? Would he even let another fae touch Rhys?
Silas shook himself out of his reverie. This had to end. And he needed to warn Rhys. "I've made a mess of things with you. Come. Sit. We need to talk." He patted the bed next to him.
"Last time we tried to talk, you threw me out of your room."
"I didn't exactly throw you out."
Energy licked off Rhys like tongues of flame, then coalesced around his closed fists. "Close enough."
Truth. Silas ignored it. "Then why did you come back?"
Rhys pushed himself off the wall and joined him by the bedside. He did not sit. "You need me."
Not at all the answer Silas expected. He stared up at Rhys.
Rhys brushed the back of his hand against Silas's cheek. Blazing hot, full of life. It took all of Silas's resolve not to pull Rhys down on top of him.
"You're going to run from me again, aren't you?" Rhys said.
Run? That made no sense. "This isn't about me." Silas ran a hand through his hair, pushing errant locks out of his eyes so he could see better.
"And what do you mean, again?"
"Thisisabout you." Rhys finally sat. "Every time we meet, you leave me, and I have to chase you down."
Chase him down? "I found you."
"No," Rhys said. "I found you."
That wasn't correct. Silas opened his mouth to argue, but then Rhys's mouth was against his, and the man had his tongue tangled around Silas's before he could think of the words to say. Rhys pushed him backward onto the bed and laid the length of his body down, his legs between Silas's own. Rhys thrust his bulging crotch against Silas's cock.
Presumptuous. So very American. But the feel of Rhys's body, the thrust of his tongue sent heat curling into Silas's stomach. He moaned against Rhys's mouth and tugged the back of Rhys's shirt up. Silas slipped his hands under the waistband of Rhys's jeans, wanting to feel the hot flesh of his ass.
Rhys ground against him.
He'd not let another fae touch Rhys. Not now.
Rhys broke the kiss, touched his face. "Ifound you."
